Sheffield United: The 'pointless' argument manager Paul Heckingbottom has no interest in discussing

United will enter their meeting with Mark Warburton’s fifth placed side unbeaten in four and on a three match winning streak, with two of those victories coming since Heckingbottom replaced Slavisa Jokanovic as manager.

But October’s triumph over Stoke City remains the only time they have beaten a club residing in the top half of the Championship table following last term’s relegation from the Premier League.

Although that is an issue he wants to address next week, Heckingbottom told The Star: “Genuinely, I think that’s more of an issue for you guys in the media. All we think about, all I think about, is three points.

“I’m not bothered about who we get them against. It doesn’t matter to me who we take them off, although hopefully that will become an irrelevance as things go on.”

Despite playing down the significance of QPR’s visit, Heckingbottom did acknowledge that condemning the Londoners to defeat would help to convince both United’s players and supporters alike that they can go on to mount a promotion challenge after climbing to 10th.

“Consistency is a big thing in every division but especially this one,” he said. “We know we’re not going to win them all but we’ll do our damndest to try and we know they are a really good side who clearly, when you look at positions, had a better start than us.”